Any time a team pushed into the finals with a legit offensive star, that star ooutperformed Fedorov offensively by a significant degree (Sakic in 1996, Lindros in 1997).

How many points did Lindros score in the 1997 Finals exactly? Three? And Fedorov? Six, you say?

How exactly is that Lindros outperforming Fedorov?

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Sooo. . . we should give Fedorov credit for something he might have been able to accomplish if he had tried? Really? There are plenty of players who performed well in the regular season, and also excelled in the playoffs. If Fedorov couldn't do that, that's fine. . .but let's rank him accordingly.

People love to rank Crosby as "the best player in hockey the past few years" based on what-ifs. Are we rating on which player was better overall or which player scored better in the regular season? Because that's a different question with a different answer.

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You are missing the point. Either Fedorov was a magical two-way player or he wasn't. If he WAS, then explain to me how having to play defense hurt his offense so much? Certain people love to think of Fedorov as this player who combined top-ten offense with Selke defense. . .and once someone points that he was rarely ever a top-ten offensive player, they answer with, 'yeah, but he played defense!'. . .so that's NOT a top-ten offensive player with Selke defense, is it? That's top-twenty offensive player with Selke defense, isn't it?

It depends on how you define "top-ten offensive player". Do you define it as top-ten in points, top-ten most individually effective offensively, etc. Different definitions with different lists of players. Fedorov was one of the most offensively talented players of his era, but due to differences in player usage, linemates, and ice time he was not one of the top scorers. The onset of the DPE right during his prime didn't help either; if the 90s post-96 were similar scoring levels to before 96, it's likely that Fedorov is higher on the 1990s scoring lists.

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I see a lot of opinion in favour of Fedorov here, and not much fact.

This is a thread asking the question "Who's better, a defensive center with significant offensive skill, or an offensive winger?"

Somehow, I see that being a primarily opinion-based question.

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So if he rolled all four lines. . . would it be correct to assume that every center had equal opportunities offensively then?

At even strength, that's basically true. Obviously there's the power play, but as I have stated, Fedorov generally did not play with Yzerman and Shanahan.

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You would think his offensive numbers would have jumped up, then, when he left Detroit, wouldn't you?

Fedorov's age when he left Detroit for Anaheim: 33 years, 7 months.

Guy Lafleur's age when he retired midseason, after posting only 5 points in 19 games: 33 years, 2 months.

Bobby Clarke's age upon retirement: 34 years, 7 months.

Pavel Bure's retirement age: 32y, 1m.

Peter Forsberg, the first time: 34y, 9m.

But we'll go ahead with the idea that Fedorov should have started putting up offensive numbers to rival his prime. Because, y'know... everyone can have longevity like Howe, all they have to do is think happy thoughts.